JP7323681B2 - fixed angle centrifuge rotor - Google Patents

Description

This invention relates generally to centrifuge rotors and, more particularly, to fixed angle rotors configured to support a sample within a centrifuge.

Centrifuge rotors are typically used in laboratory centrifuges to hold samples during centrifugation. Although centrifuge rotors can vary widely in construction and dimensions, one common rotor construction has a rigid rotor body with multiple chamber cavities distributed circumferentially within the rotor body. It is a fixed-angle rotor that is rotated and arranged symmetrically about the axis of rotation. Samples are placed in the cavity and multiple samples can be subjected to centrifugation.

The rotors of conventional fixed angle centrifuges can be made of metal or a variety of other materials. A known improvement, however, is to construct the rotor of the centrifuge by a compression molding and filament winding process in which the rotor is made from a suitable material such as composite carbon fibre. For example, a fixed angle centrifuge rotor can be compression molded from layers of resin-coated carbon fiber laminate material. Examples of composite fixed angle centrifuge rotors are described in US Pat. , which is expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Centrifuge rotors are commonly used in applications where the spin speed of the centrifuge can exceed hundreds or even thousands of revolutions per minute, so that the It is important that it be constructed with a structure designed to withstand the stresses and strains incurred during high speed rotation. An improvement for providing structural rigidity to the rotor body during centrifugation is described in US Pat. , expressly incorporated by reference in its entirety. In this refinement, a pressure plate is coupled to the bottom of the rotor body to support the tubular cavity during rotation, thereby minimizing the potential for rotor failure.

The primary sources of stresses and strains experienced by the rotor during centrifugation include the outwardly directed centrifugal forces exerted by the loaded cavities, with additional sources being the rotating centrifuge mandrel. is the torque exerted by More specifically, the central portion of the rotor, where the rotor hub connects to the centrifuge mandrel, develops a large degree of torque during rotation of the rotor, particularly during acceleration and deceleration of rotation. This torque results in a large degree of stress concentration in various components of the rotor. The performance capabilities of conventional rotors may be limited by the rotor's ability to accommodate such torques and resulting stresses in addition to the stresses caused by centrifugal force, but during centrifugation, including torque, There is a need for a centrifuge rotor with improved structural rigidity to mitigate the stresses and strains caused by various sources.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,908 U.S. Pat. No. 6,056,910 U.S. Pat. No. 6,296,798 U.S. Pat. No. 8,147,392 U.S. Pat. No. 8,273,202 U.S. Pat. No. 8,323,169

The present invention overcomes the foregoing and other shortcomings and drawbacks of previously known centrifuge rotors for use in centrifugation. Although the invention has been described in detail in conjunction with specific embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to those embodiments. Rather, the invention includes all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention.

In one embodiment, a fixed angle centrifuge rotor comprises a rotor body having a peripheral sidewall and a plurality of circumferentially spaced tubular cavities. Each tubular cavity has an open end and a closed end and is configured to receive a sample container therein. The rotor further comprises a pressure plate operably coupled to the rotor body so that in combination with the plurality of tubular cavities in the rotor body and the peripheral sidewalls define a hollow compartment within the rotor. The rotor further comprises a plurality of elongated torque transmission members supported by the rotor body. Each of the plurality of torque transmitting members has a first end positioned between a respective pair of adjacent tubular cavities and extends radially inward in a direction toward the axis of rotation of the rotor.

In another embodiment, a fixed angle centrifuge rotor comprises a rotor body having a peripheral sidewall and a plurality of circumferentially spaced tubular cavities. Each tubular cavity has an open end and a closed end and is configured to receive a sample container therein. The rotor further comprises a plurality of pockets each positioned between respective pairs of adjacent tubular cavities. The rotor further comprises a pressure plate operably coupled to the rotor body so that in combination with the plurality of tubular cavities in the rotor body and the peripheral sidewalls define a hollow compartment within the rotor. A plurality of circumferentially spaced upstanding tabs are supported by the pressure plate. Each of the plurality of tabs is received in a respective one of the plurality of pockets.

In another embodiment, a method is provided for manufacturing a centrifuge rotor. The method includes forming a rotor body having a peripheral sidewall and a plurality of circumferentially-spaced tubular cavities. Each tubular cavity has an open end and a closed end and is configured to receive a sample container therein. The method operatively couples to the rotor body a pressure plate having a plurality of circumferentially spaced upstanding tabs such that each tab is received in a respective pocket between a respective pair of adjacent tubular cavities. further comprising:

In another embodiment, a method for manufacturing a centrifuge rotor includes forming a rotor body having a peripheral sidewall and a plurality of circumferentially spaced tubular cavities. Each tubular cavity has an open end and a closed end and is configured to receive a sample container therein. The method comprises a plurality of torque transmitting members such that each of the torque transmitting members has a first end positioned between a respective pair of adjacent tubular cavities and extending radially inwardly in a direction toward the axis of rotation of the rotor. Further including forming an elongated torque transmission member in the rotor body.

In still other embodiments, a rotor of a fixed angle centrifuge comprises a plurality of tubular cavities circumferentially spaced about an axis of rotation of the rotor. Each tubular cavity has an open end and a closed end and is configured to receive a sample container therein. The rotor further comprises an annular containment groove disposed above and circumferentially surrounding the plurality of tubular cavities. The annular containment groove has an upper re-entry portion in which the groove profile curves radially inward toward the axis of rotation and axially downward toward the plurality of tubular cavities. The annular containment groove, in combination with the upper reentrant, is configured to catch and retain suspended matter within the rotor during rotation of the rotor.

Various additional features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate certain embodiments of the invention and generally describe the invention provided above. , and together with the detailed description provided below, serve to explain the invention.

1 is a perspective view of a centrifuge rotor according to a first embodiment of the invention, with a rotor lid and a rotor lid handle; FIG. Figure 2 is another perspective view of the rotor of the centrifuge of Figure 1 showing the rotor being lifted; Figure 2 is a partially exploded downward perspective view of the rotor of the centrifuge of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the rotor of the centrifuge of Figure 1 taken along line 3-3; 2 is a partially exploded perspective view of the rotor of the centrifuge of FIG. 1 showing the rotor body and pressure plate open and slanted for better viewing, prior to application of the elongated reinforcement; FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of the rotor body of the rotor of the centrifuge of FIG. 1 showing the rotor body inverted and obscuring the rotor hub and rotor insert; FIG. Figure 2 is a plan view, partially removed, of the bottom of the rotor of the centrifuge of Figure 1; 2 is a perspective partial cross-sectional view taken axially through a rotor body pocket of the centrifuge rotor of FIG. . 8 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line 8-8 of the rotor of the centrifuge of FIG. 3 showing additional details of the rotor insert; FIG. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the rotor of the centrifuge of FIG. 1 installed in an exemplary centrifuge; FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a rotor of a centrifuge according to a second embodiment of the invention, shown without a rotor lid or rotor coupling component; Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 11-11 of the rotor of the centrifuge of Figure 10; A portion of the centrifuge rotor of FIG. 10 showing the rotor body and pressure plate open and slanted for better viewing, prior to application of the elongated reinforcement, and shown without the rotor hub and corresponding connecting components. 1 is a perspective exploded view; FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 11-11 of the rotor body of the centrifuge rotor of FIG. 10 showing the rotor body inverted and without the rotor insert. FIG. Figure 11 is a plan view, partially removed, of the bottom of the rotor of the centrifuge of Figure 10; FIG. 11 is a perspective partial cross-sectional view taken axially through the rotor body pocket of the centrifuge rotor of FIG. 10 showing additional detail of the raised area of the pressure plate received within the pocket of the rotor body; be. 16 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line 16-16 of the rotor of the centrifuge of FIG. 11 showing additional details of the rotor insert; FIG. Figure 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing part of an annular groove tool for forming an annular liquid confinement groove in the upper reinforcement of the rotor of the centrifuge of Figure 10; Figure 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing part of an annular groove tool for forming an annular liquid confinement groove in the upper reinforcement of the rotor of the centrifuge of Figure 10;

Referring now to the figures, and in particular to FIGS. 1-3, there is shown an exemplary centrifuge rotor 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention. The rotor 10 is operably coupled to a rotor body 12, a rotor lid 14 operably coupled to the rotor body 12 and supported above an upper end 12a of the rotor body 12, and a lower end 12b of the rotor body 12. and a pressure plate 16 that As used herein, the “upper end” of rotor body 12 refers to the generally uppermost end of rotor body 12 along axis of rotation A (FIG. 3) at the center of rotor 10, and that end At , sample containers (not shown) are loaded and unloaded. Conversely, the "lower end" of rotor body 12 refers to the generally lowermost end of rotor body 12 along axis of rotation A, at which end rotor 10 is forced by centrifuge 13 (FIG. 9). Supported. Elongated reinforcement 26 extends continuously around rotor body 12 and a portion of pressure plate 16 to facilitate coupling of pressure plate 16 to rotor body 12, as will be described later. can be applied to The elongated reinforcement 26 may extend above the upper end 12a of the rotor body 12, thereby forming an upper reinforcement 26a configured to receive and support the outer circumferential edge of the rotor lid 14. .

As shown in FIGS. 1-2, the rotor lid 14 may include a handle 18 to assist a user in attaching and removing the lid 14 from the upper end 12a of the rotor body 12. . Specifically, the handle 18 can be rotated to secure the lid 14 to the rotor body 12 or to unlock the lid 14 from the rotor body 12 (FIG. 1) and the sample container (not shown). After loading or unloading the lid 14 can be gripped to move vertically into engagement with the rotor body 12 or away from the rotor body 12 (FIG. 1A). Also, the handle 18 holds the rotor 10 in a substantially vertical orientation, for example, when inserting the rotor 10 into the centrifuge 13, when removing the rotor 10 from the centrifuge 13, or when transporting the rotor 10. It may be grasped by the user for support.

As shown in FIGS. 2-4, the rotor body 12 is symmetrically formed about an axis of rotation A about which the sample vessels are centrifugally rotated during operation. Rotor body 12 includes a circumferentially extending side wall 20 and a top wall having a plurality of circumferentially spaced tubular bore cavities 24 extending therethrough for receiving a corresponding plurality of sample vessels (not shown). 22 and. The upper wall 22 may comprise an identification element 23, shown in the form of a disk in FIG. 3, for displaying indicia for identifying each individual tubular cavity 24. FIG.

An elongated reinforcement 26 , which may be a helical winding, extends continuously around a generally smooth outer surface 28 of the circumferentially extending side wall 20 . As used herein, the term "generally smooth" is intended to describe a surface 28 that does not have a stepped feature and is generally free of corners or sharp edges. In this regard, the terms defined above are not intended to define the surface roughness of surface 28 . Rotor body 12 may be formed such that generally smooth outer surface 28 does not require additional machining or finishing prior to application of reinforcement 26 . In one embodiment, rotor body 12 can be formed using the methods disclosed in US Pat. Rotor body 12 may be formed from any suitable material or combination of materials, including, for example, carbon fiber.

As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, upper reinforcements 26a formed by elongated reinforcements 26 define annular liquid confinement grooves 27 spaced axially above upper end 12a of rotor body 12. It can be shaped as defined. During centrifugation of samples contained in sample vessels (not shown) held by rotor 10, large centrifugal forces can result in sample leakage through the sample vessel closures. The concave curvature of the liquid confinement groove 27 reduces the flow of leaking sample such that it is retained within the rotor 10 during rotation and is not ejected from the rotor 10, thereby maintaining a safe and clean working environment. It can act to capture at least a portion.

The illustrated embodiment of rotor 10 includes ten tubular lumen cavities 24, which may be of any suitable cavity volume. For example, in one embodiment, each of ten tubular cavities 24 may be sized to receive a sample container having an internal volume of approximately 1,000 ml. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that a rotor in accordance with the principles of the present invention can be formed with any suitable number of tubular cavities 24, each cavity 24 defining any suitable cavity volume. For example, in one alternative embodiment described in more detail below in connection with FIGS. 10-17, the centrifuge rotor can be formed of six tubular cavities, each tubular cavity having , and is dimensioned to receive a sample container having an internal volume of approximately 2,000 ml. In yet another alternative embodiment (not shown), the centrifuge rotor can be formed of eight tubular cavities, each tubular cavity receiving a sample container having an internal volume of approximately 1,500 ml. Dimensioned for Those skilled in the art will appreciate that additional features of rotor 10 as described herein may be varied in amount, size, and/or location as appropriate, while tubular cavity 24 To allow for specific quantities and/or dimensions, generally maintain the same functionality of rotor 10 for performing centrifugation operations on one or more samples (not shown) received by rotor body 12. also understand.

Each tubular chamber cavity 24 extends from the top wall 22 into the interior 30 of the rotor body 12 in a direction generally toward the lower end 12b of the rotor body 12 and obliquely to the axis of rotation A. As used herein, the term "internal" refers to the general portion of the rotor of a centrifuge that is surrounded by and located radially inward of the corresponding peripheral sidewall of the rotor body. To tell. Also, as used herein, the term "tubular" may be any shape, e.g., a rounded shape (e.g., an ellipse, circle, or cone), a quadrilateral, a regular polygon, or an irregular polygon. A void having a suitable cross-section of As such, the term is not intended to be limited to the generally circular cross-sectional profile of the exemplary tubular cavity shown in the figures.

Each tubular cavity 24 has an open end 34 at the upper wall 22 and an opposed closed end 36 directed toward the lower end 12b. Each cavity 24 is defined by a side wall 38 and a bottom wall 39 and is suitably sized and shaped to receive a sample container therein (not shown) for centrifugation about axis A of rotation. It is said that Each cavity side wall 38 has an inner surface 38a for receiving and supporting a respective sample container and an outer surface 38b generally facing the interior 30 of rotor body 12. As shown in FIG.

As best shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the tubular cavities 24 are circumferentially spaced radially inward of the peripheral sidewalls 20 such that the sidewalls 20 and the outer surface 38b of the cavities 24 are separated from each other. , defining a plurality of circumferentially spaced pockets 40 , each pocket 40 being defined between adjacent pairs of respective tubular cavities 24 . Outer surface 38b in combination with peripheral sidewall 20 and pressure plate 16 collectively define a centrally located hollow compartment 42 containing pocket 40, as will be described in more detail below.

3-5, a plurality of circumferentially-spaced elongated torque transmission members 50 are supported by rotor body 12 and are operably coupled to central inner portion 51 of rotor body 12 according to one embodiment. may be As will be described in more detail below, torque transmission member 50 is configured to transmit torque from a centrifuge stem (not shown) of centrifuge 13 to tubular cavity 24 during centrifugation. works. Each torque transmitting member 50 extends radially between an outer first end 52 and an inner second end 54 oriented toward the axis A of rotation. In the illustrated embodiment, the first end 52 of each torque transmitting member 50 extends toward the respective pocket 40 between adjacent pairs of respective tubular cavities 24 in the tangential direction of the pair. there is Further, the terms "first end" and "second end" when used herein in relation to the first end and second end of the torque transmitting member is not intended to specify Rather, the "first ends" and "second ends" are each positioned radially adjacent a respective pair of adjacent tubular cavities at one end and adjacent the central axis A at the opposite end. It is intended to refer to the general portion of the torque transmission member.

As shown, rotor 10 may include ten torque transmitting members 50, one member 50 extending between each adjacent pair of tubular cavities 24. As shown in FIG. As previously mentioned, rotor 10 may be formed with any suitable number of tubular cavities 24 . Accordingly, rotor 10 may be formed with any suitable number of torque transmission members 50 to maintain any desired ratio of torque transmission members 50 to tubular cavity 24 . For example, as described below in connection with the alternative embodiment shown in FIGS. 10-17, a centrifuge rotor may comprise six tubular cavities and six torque transmission members. . In yet another alternative embodiment (not shown), the centrifuge rotor may comprise eight tubular cavities and eight torque transmission members.

Rotor 10 may further comprise a torque transmission annulus 60 supported by rotor body 12, which may be operably coupled to central inner member 51 of rotor body 12 according to one embodiment. As shown, torque transfer ring 60 extends from the bottom surface of top wall 22 into interior 30 and into hollow compartment 42 . As shown, torque transfer ring 60 is configured such that second end 54 of each torque transfer member 50 extends radially toward torque transfer ring 60 and is operably coupled to torque transfer ring 60 . It is positioned about the axis of rotation A so as to In one embodiment, torque transmitting member 50 and torque transmitting annulus 60 are integrally formed as one piece with rotor body 12 including top wall 22, center inner portion 51, and side walls 38 of tubular cavity 24. may be formed. In alternate embodiments, either or both of torque transmitting member 50 and torque transmitting ring 60 may be releasably coupled to rotor body 12 .

Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 3-6 and 8, the torque transmission member 50 may be formed integrally with the torque transmission ring 60 as a unitary piece. In an alternate embodiment, torque transmission member 50 may be releasably coupled to torque transmission ring 60 . In other alternative embodiments, the rotor 10 may be formed without the torque transmission annulus 60, with the torque transmission members 50 extending radially (independently) toward the axis A of rotation. In still other embodiments, the torque transmitting member 50, when provided, has one or more intermediate structures (not shown) positioned radially between the torque transmitting member 50 and the torque transmitting ring 60. may be coupled to Alternatively, if torque transmission annulus 60 is not provided, torque transmission members 50, either individually or in sets of two or more, are radially positioned between torque transmission members 50 and axis of rotation A. It may be attached to one or more intermediate structures (not shown).

As best shown in FIGS. 4-6, each torque transmitting member 50 may be formed with a first side wall 62 and an opposite second side wall 64; The sidewalls 64 are arranged clockwise from the first sidewall 62 when viewing the rotor body 12 from the lower end 12b in the direction toward the top wall 22 (FIGS. 5 and 6). Each sidewall 62 , 64 has a radial length generally measured between first end 52 and second end 54 of torque transmitting member 50 . As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the radial length of the first sidewall 62 may be longer or shorter than the radial length of the second sidewall 64 of the same torque transmitting member 50. may For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the exemplary radial length R1 of the first sidewall 62 is less than the exemplary radial length R2 of the second sidewall 64. As shown in FIG. Also, the torque transmitting members 50 are arranged such that (i) the radial length of each first side wall 62 is equal to the radial length of the second side wall 64 of each adjacent torque transmitting member 50, and , (ii) circumferentially arranged in an alternating manner such that the radial length of each second sidewall 64 is equal to the radial length of the first sidewall 62 of each adjacent torque transmitting member 50; may be In certain alternative embodiments, such as those described below in connection with FIGS. 10-17, the torque transmitting members are such that the first and second sidewalls of each torque transmitting member have equal radial lengths and It may be formed symmetrically, such as being formed with a curvature.

Torque transmitting members 50 generally extend from the bottom surface of top wall 22 to interior 30 and into hollow compartment 42 such that side walls 62, 64 define the axial thickness of each torque transmitting member 50. extending in the axial direction. As best shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, each of the torque transmitting members 50 has a second end 52 such that the first end 52 has a greater axial thickness than the second end 54. It may be formed with an axial thickness that gradually increases in a radially outward direction from 54 toward first end 52 . Also, as best shown in FIG. 5, the first end 52 of each torque transmitting member 50 is such that the torque transmitting member 50 generally extends between a respective pair of adjacent tubular cavities 24. An axial step 66 may be provided at or near the location.

Torque transmitting member 50 and torque transmitting ring 60 may be formed from any suitable material or combination of materials. For example, torque transmission member 50 and/or torque transmission ring 60 may be formed from a carbon fiber composite with optimized fiber orientation. In alternative embodiments, torque transmission member 50 and/or torque transmission ring 60 may be formed from metal.

3 and 4, the pressure plate 16 of the rotor 10 includes a central generally conical upright wall portion 70 having a rounded upper portion 70a and an upper wall portion 70 extending radially inwardly from the conical wall portion 70a. It includes a wall portion 72 and an annular bottom wall portion 74 extending generally radially outwardly from the conical wall portion 70 .

The pressure plate 16 is positioned on the rotor body 12 such that the conical wall portion 70 is received within the interior 30 of the rotor body 12 and engages the radially inward facing side of each of the outer surfaces 38b of the tubular cavity 24. It may be operably coupled to lower end 12b. Pressure plate 16 seats on rotor body 12 such that top wall portion 72 remains axially spaced from top wall 22, torque transmission member 50, and torque transmission annulus 60 supported by top wall 22. can be The connection of pressure plate 16 to rotor body 12 thereby completely defines hollow compartment 42 , including pocket 40 . Specifically, hollow compartment 42 is defined by peripheral sidewall 20, top wall 22 and outer surface 38b of rotor body 12 and conical wall 70, top wall 72 and bottom wall 74 of pressure plate 16. Bounded.

Thus, in the illustrated embodiment of rotor 10, a substantial portion of each outer surface 38b of tubular cavity 24 is surrounded by a hollow space including hollow compartments 42 and respective pairs of adjacent pockets 40. be. As used herein, the term "substantially" when used to describe the portion of the outer surface of the tubular cavity that is surrounded by the hollow space is the specific outer surface of the annular cavity. It is intended to describe embodiments in which at least about 40%, preferably between about 40% and about 60%, are surrounded by hollow spaces.

The annular bottom wall portion 74 of the pressure plate 16 includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses 76, and the conical wall portion 70 extends downwardly toward and opens into the recesses 76 in a plurality of correspondences. Circumferentially spaced undulations 77 are provided. Specifically, the pressure plate 16 preferably includes one depression 76 and one undulation 77 for each tubular cavity 24 (i.e., ten for the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-9). depressions 76 and ten corrugations 77).

With continued reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the recesses 76 of the pressure plate 16 are received in abutting engagement with the plurality of bottom walls 39 of the tubular cavity 24 when the pressure plate 16 is coupled to the rotor body 12. configured to engage. Similarly, undulations 77 are configured to receive and engage outer surface 38b of tubular cavity 24 in abutting engagement. In that regard, the depressions 76 are suitably sized and shaped such that each depression 76 contacts substantially a portion of the respective bottom wall 39 of the respective tubular cavity 24, and the undulations 77 are , each corrugation 77 is suitably sized and shaped to substantially match the curvature of the lower portion of the respective outer surface 38b. Thus, the pressure plate 16 can be mated with the rotor body 12 such that each recess 76 and corresponding undulations 77 engage together with respective tubular cavities 24 . In this manner, depressions 76 provide structural support to tubular cavity 24 and thereby stiffness during high speed rotation of rotor 10 , while undulations 77 provide pressure plate 16 against rotor body 12 . help maintain circumferential alignment of the In alternative embodiments, the pressure plate 16 may include a number of depressions less than the number of tubular cavities 24, in which case each depression receives and engages two or more tubular cavities 24. be sized and shaped to be suitable for

The pressure plate 16 may further comprise a plurality of circumferentially spaced ribs 78 extending diagonally between the conical upright wall portion 70 and the annular bottom wall portion 74 . In the illustrated embodiment, ribs 78 are provided between each pair of adjacent depressions 76 and corrugations 77 . Each rib 78 extends partially into a respective pocket 40 between a respective pair of adjacent tubular cavities 24 when the pressure plate 16 is coupled to the rotor body 12 . Ribs 78 act in a bracing fashion to provide additional structural support to pressure plate 16 and thus rotor body 12 during high speed rotation of rotor 10 .

The pressure plate 16 may further include a plurality of circumferentially spaced upstanding tabs 80 extending between the recesses 76, as best shown in FIG. In the illustrated embodiment, the tabs 80 extend generally axially from the bottom wall portion 74 adjacent the outer circumferential edge 82 of the pressure plate 16 . Each tab 80 is received in a pocket 40 formed between a respective pair of adjacent tubular cavities 24, as shown in FIG. be properly sized and shaped to accommodate In this regard, tabs 80 engage corresponding structures defined by sidewalls 38 and bottom walls 39 of respective tubular cavities 24 . Thus, tabs 80 properly align pressure plate 16 with rotor body 12 during assembly, and provide additional structural support to rotor body 12, including tubular cavity 24, during high speed rotation of rotor 10. provide support.

Coupling of the pressure plate 16 to the rotor body 12 may be facilitated by fasteners, such as retaining nuts 90, for example. In the illustrated embodiment, retaining nut 90 threadably engages external threads 92 of rotor hub 94 . As will be described in more detail below, rotor hub 94 connects the rotor with the centrifuge mandrel (not shown) of centrifuge 13 to allow high speed rotation of rotor 10 during centrifugation. Facilitates 10 engagements. Engagement of the nut 90 is provided from the underside of the pressure plate 16 and such engagement thereby operatively secures the rotor hub 94 to the top wall 72 of the pressure plate 16 . Nut 90 may include two or more circumferentially-spaced tool-engaging recesses 91 (FIG. 6) to facilitate rotational installation and removal of nut 90 . Rotor hub 94 is further threadedly engaged with a later described rotor insert 96 provided within central inner portion 51 of rotor body 12 .

The bonding of pressure plate 16 to rotor body 12 may be further enhanced by compression molding these two components together with elongated reinforcement 26 . In one embodiment, the reinforcement 26 is made of carbon fibers (e.g., resin-coated carbon fibers), as disclosed in US Pat. spirally winding a continuous strand of high tenacity fibers, such as a single strand or strand, around at least a portion of the outer surface 28 of the rotor body 12 and over the exposed radially outer portion of the pressure plate 16; may be applied in Specifically, as disclosed in the above-identified patent, the strands are overlapped on the rotor body to define crossover locations in the areas of greatest stress during centrifugation. It can be tightly and repeatedly wrapped around 12 and pressure plate 16 thereby forming multiple reinforcing layers 26 . Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various alternative methods of coupling the pressure plate 16 to the rotor body 12 may be used.

As previously mentioned, the rotor 10 of the illustrated embodiment includes a rotor insert 96 configured to receive and threadably engage the rotor hub 94 . As best shown in FIGS. 5 and 8, the rotor insert 96 is provided within an internal pocket 100 formed in the central inner portion 51 of the rotor body 12. As shown in FIG. Rotor insert 96 is positioned about axis of rotation A so that it extends through opening 102 formed in top wall 22 , central inner portion 51 , and torque transmission annulus 60 . Rotor insert 96 includes a plurality of alternating radially extending long arms 104a and short arms 104b received within a corresponding plurality of alternating radially extending long passages 106a and short passages 106b of internal pocket 100. . In one embodiment, the rotor 10 may be formed such that the number of arms 104a, 104b and corresponding passages 106a, 106b equals the number of tubular cavities 24. More specifically, the number of long arms 104a may be equal to one-half the number of tubular cavities 24. FIG. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the rotor 10 receives ten tubular cavities 24, a rotor insert 96 having five long arms 104a and five short arms 104b, and respective arms 104a, 104b. an internal pocket 100 having five long passages 106a and five short passages 106b for Those skilled in the art will appreciate that alternate embodiments of rotor 10 can be formed with any desired ratio of tubular cavity 24 to rotor insert arms 104a, 104b and corresponding pocket passages 106a, 106b. . Also, in alternate embodiments, the rotor insert arms and corresponding pocket passages may be formed in any suitable shape and size.

The rotor insert 96 can be formed from any suitable material, such as metal, and is attached to the rotor body 12 during body formation, as disclosed by US Pat. and may be molded. Also, as shown in FIG. 5, the torque transfer annulus 60 of the rotor body 12 mates with corresponding radial projections (not shown) provided on the outer surface of a portion of the rotor insert 96. key slot 108 may be provided.

Rotor body 12, rotor lid 14, and pressure plate 16 may be formed using compression molding methods disclosed in US Pat. More specifically, a first mold (not shown) having cavities that define the outer surface of rotor body 12 may be used. The first mold may also include a centrally located mold core that supports the rotor insert 96 . A plurality of disc-shaped woven fiber sheets pre-impregnated with an epoxy matrix are stacked vertically around a mold core within a first mold, the stacked sheets having their outer edges defined as , with a gradual change in diameter to define a contoured peripheral sidewall 20 of the rotor body 12 to be formed.

The woven fiber sheet, which may be a carbon fiber sheet, includes fibers woven in two transverse directions, and the sheet may include circumferentially spaced circular openings for defining tubular cavities 24 . As the woven fiber sheets are superimposed, each successive sheet is woven against the woven fibers forming the immediately adjacent woven sheet positioned below it (the rotor body being formed). 12 axes of rotation) can be oriented to be rotated approximately 45 degrees. After stacking the woven fibrous sheets, tubular voids 24 may be further defined by inserting preformed tubular inserts into oblique apertures defined by circular openings in the stacked woven sheets. Each tubular insert may be formed by a corresponding plurality of woven fibrous sheets radially laminated about the longitudinal axis of the tubular insert. Thus, heat and pressure may be applied to the first mold comprising the superimposed woven fibrous sheets to form the rotor body 12 , the torque transmission member 50 and the torque transmission ring 60 . Using similar compression molding techniques, a second mold can be used to form the pressure plate 16 and a third mold can be used to form the rotor lid 14, the pressure plate 16 and rotor lid 14 being Each is formed from a corresponding plurality of superimposed woven fibrous sheets.

In use, rotor 10, including rotor insert 96 and rotor hub 94 threadedly engaged with retaining nut 90, is positioned such that a projection of a centrifuge mandrel (not shown) of centrifuge 13 is received within rotor hub 94. , attached to and coupled to the mandrel. As shown in FIG. 6, the bottom surface of rotor hub 94 may include holes 110 for receiving alignment pins (not shown) for aligning rotor 10 with the centrifuge mandrel. With the rotor 10 seated on the axle, the hub retainer 112 is received through the upper end of the rotor hub 94 and is threadably engaged with the rotor hub 94, as shown in FIG. The attachment of the hub retainer 112 advantageously prevents the rotor hub 94, and thus the rotor body 12, from lifting vertically off the centrifuge mandrel during operation. As shown in the illustrated embodiment, hub retainer 112 may include a through hole for receiving center pin 114, which receives the externally threaded distal end of a centrifuge mandrel. has a female thread for In alternate embodiments, the centrifuge rotor 10 is fitted with any suitable coupling component for coupling the rotor insert 96 with any suitable centrifuge mandrel.

A lid screw retainer 118 may be coupled to the hub retainer 112 , such as by a threaded engagement, and may be configured to threadably receive a lid screw 120 for securing the rotor lid 14 to the rotor body 12 . As shown in FIG. 3, the lid screw 120 may be axially inserted through a central opening in the rotor lid 14 and provided with a handle 18 at the outer end. The capscrew 120 can be rotated by the user via the handle 18 to thread the capscrew 120 into and out of threading engagement with the capscrew retainer 118 . When the lid screw 120 is fully threadedly engaged with the lid screw retainer 118 , the base of the handle 18 exerts an axial compressive force on the rotor lid 14 thereby securing the lid 14 to the rotor body 12 . Rotor lid 14 , when coupled to rotor body 12 , prevents access to sample vessels held in tubular cavity 24 . Those skilled in the art will appreciate that retaining nut 90, rotor hub 94, rotor insert 96, hub retainer 112, and capscrew retainer 118 may be formed from any suitable material such as, for example, metal. .

Additionally, in the illustrated embodiment, rotor lid 14 may include sealing element 122 and lid screw 120 may include sealing element 124 . The sealing elements 122, 124 can be, for example, O-rings, and can facilitate the coupling of the rotor lid 14 to the rotor body 12 and the lid screw 120 to the lid screw retainer 118, respectively. The illustrated embodiment illustrates one coupling method for securing the rotor lid 14 to the rotor body 12, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that various alternative coupling methods may be used. It is.

After mounting the rotor 10 on the centrifuge mandrel, the centrifuge mandrel can be actuated to drive the rotor 10 into high speed centrifugal rotation. During rotation of the rotor 10 of the illustrated embodiment, the rotating axle exerts a torque on the rotor hub 94, which in turn exerts a torque on the rotor insert 96, which in turn exerts a torque on the central inner portion 51. and additionally exert torque on the torque transmission ring 60 . Torque transmission ring 60 transmits torque radially outward through torque transmission member 50 . More specifically, the torque transmitting member 50 transmits torque radially outward to the central inner portion 51 as well as to the tubular cavity 24 and the sample vessels held therein. Thus, torque applied to tubular cavity 24 is transmitted not only through central inner portion 51 , but also through torque transmission annulus 60 and torque transmission member 50 . Accordingly, the provision of the torque transfer annulus 60 and torque transfer member 50 advantageously provides the rotor 10 with additional structural rigidity to withstand the large degree of torque experienced during high speed rotation. Circumferentially-spaced recesses 76, ribs 78, and upstanding tabs 80 formed in pressure plate 16 also provide additional structural rigidity to tubular cavity 24 during high speed rotation, thereby It is then provided to the rotor body 12 as a whole.

10-17 show a centrifuge rotor 210 according to a second embodiment of the invention. Centrifuge rotor 210 is similar in construction to centrifuge rotor 10, except as described below. In that regard, like reference numerals, including those not described in detail below, refer to like features previously described in connection with the rotor 10 shown in FIGS. 1-8. .

10 and 11, centrifuge rotor 210 includes rotor body 212 and rotor lid (not shown) operably coupled to rotor body 212 and supported above upper end 212a of rotor body 212. ) and a pressure plate 216 operably coupled to the lower end 212 b of the rotor body 212 . Although the centrifuge rotor 210 is shown without a rotor lid, those skilled in the art will appreciate that a lid similar in construction to the rotor lid 14 described above may be provided. The rotor lid may also be coupled to rotor body 212 using components similar to those described above in connection with rotor lid 14 .

Rotor 210 extends continuously around rotor body 212 and the radially outer portion of pressure plate 216 in association with reinforcement 26 to thereby facilitate coupling of pressure plate 216 to rotor body 212 . It also includes an elongated reinforcement 226 that can be applied using the same methods previously described. Elongated reinforcement 226 may extend above upper end 212a of rotor body 212, thereby forming an upper reinforcement 226a configured to receive and support the outer circumferential edge of the rotor lid.

Referring to FIG. 11, the upper stiffener 226a may be shaped to define an annular liquid confinement groove 227 spaced radially outwardly axially above the upper wall 222 of the rotor body 212. As shown in FIG. Liquid confinement 227 operates in a manner similar to liquid confinement grooves 27 described above by catching and retaining leaking sample within centrifuge rotor 210 during centrifugation. The confinement groove 227 has an upper re-entry portion 227a in which the profile of the groove 227 curves inwardly on itself towards the upper wall 222. As shown in FIG. More specifically, the profile of groove 227 curves from arcuate rear wall 227b in an axially upward and radially inward direction toward upper apex region 227c and then axially downward and radially. In the inward direction it curves towards the lower edge 227d where the re-entry portion 227a is discontinued. Upper re-entry section 227a enhances the ability of containment groove 227 to catch and retain leaked sample during centrifugation, thereby maintaining a safe and clean working environment.

Liquid confinement grooves 227 may be formed using a multi-part annular groove tool 229, as shown schematically in FIGS. 17A and 17B. The groove tool 229 includes an annular upper tool portion 229a shaped to form an upper re-entry portion 227a of the containment groove 227 and an annular lower tool portion 229a shaped to form the remaining lower portion of the containment groove 227. and a portion 229b. Upper tool portion 229a and lower tool portion 229b each taper into circumferential sub-portions to facilitate removal of groove tool 229 after formation of upper reinforcing portion 226a, as will be described later. It may be further divisible.

Following formation of rotor body 212, for example using the compression molding method described above, groove tool 229 may be positioned above upper end 212a of rotor body 212. As shown in FIG. As previously described in connection with reinforcement 26, the strands forming elongated reinforcement 226 are then wound around rotor body 212 and pressure plate 216 to form upper reinforcement 226a, in combination with It may be wrapped around the groove tool 229 . Following formation of the upper reinforcing portion 226a, the groove tool 229 then first removes the lower tool portion 229b and then the upper tool portion 229a, as shown, for example, by the directional arrows in FIGS. 17A and 17B. may be continuously disassembled by removing the Thus, removal of tool 229 exposes newly formed liquid confinement groove 227 including upper re-entry portion 227a. Additional tools or fixtures (not shown) may be used during formation of the upper reinforcement 226a to form an annular lip 232 extending radially outward from the upper reinforcement 226a. Annular lip 232 may be grasped by a user and used as a handle for lifting and carrying centrifuge rotor 210 . A similar annular lip feature may be provided on the centrifuge rotor 10, also previously described.

As shown in FIGS. 10-12, the rotor body 212 is symmetrically formed about an axis of rotation A about which the sample vessels are centrifugally rotated during operation. Rotor body 212 includes a circumferentially extending side wall 220 and a top wall having a plurality of circumferentially spaced tubular chamber bore cavities 224 extending therethrough for receiving a corresponding plurality of sample vessels (not shown). 222 and. In this embodiment, the upper wall 222 may be undulating to define an annular upper region 222a and a recessed lower region 222b positioned about the axis A of rotation. The upper region 222a and the lower region 222b are connected by a plurality of angled connections 222c extending therebetween and circumferentially spaced about the axis of rotation A between the tubular cavities 224. As shown in FIG.

The corrugated configuration of top wall 222 as previously described provides several advantages. For example, the top wall 222 can be formed using less material, thereby minimizing the weight of the rotor body 212 and the rotational moment of inertia of the centrifuge rotor 210 about the axis A of rotation. This wavy configuration also serves to expose the upper portion of the sample vessel facing inwardly toward the axis of rotation A near the recessed lower region 222b. These exposed upper portions, which may be part of the sample container closure, can be easily grasped by the operator for removal of sample containers from their respective tubular cavities 224. FIG. In addition, the corrugated configuration of the top wall 222 helps minimize the wall thickness of each angled connection 222c in the circumferential direction, thereby positioning the upper portion of the sample vessel closer to the axis of rotation A. , thus providing a more compact design.

In this embodiment, the rotor body 212 includes six tubular chamber cavities 224, each dimensioned to receive a sample container having an internal volume of approximately 2,000 ml, for example. can be As previously described in connection with centrifuge rotor 10, alternate embodiments of centrifuge rotor 210 may include any suitable number of tubular cavities 224, where each void 224 defines any suitable void volume. In such alternate embodiments, additional features of rotor 210 may be varied in quantity, size, and/or location as appropriate.

Each of the tubular chamber bore cavities 224 extends from the top wall 222 into the interior 230 of the rotor body 212 in a direction generally toward the lower end 212b of the rotor body 212 and obliquely to the axis of rotation A. Each tubular cavity 224 has an open end 234 at upper wall 222 and an oppositely disposed closed end 236 directed toward lower end 212b. Each tubular cavity 224 is defined by a side wall 238 and a bottom wall 239 and is of suitable dimensions and dimensions to receive a sample container therein (not shown) for centrifugation about axis of rotation A. It is considered to be a shape. Each cavity side wall 238 has an inner surface 238a that receives and supports a respective sample container and an outer surface 238b that faces generally toward the interior 230 of rotor body 212. As shown in FIG.

As best shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, tubular cavity 224 is circumferentially spaced radially inward of peripheral sidewall 220 such that sidewall 220 and outer surface 238b of cavity 224 are separated from each other. , defining a plurality of circumferentially spaced pockets 240 , each pocket 240 being defined between adjacent pairs of respective tubular cavities 224 . Outer surface 238b in combination with peripheral sidewall 220 and pressure plate 216 collectively define a centrally located hollow compartment 242 containing pocket 240, as will be described in more detail below.

11-13, a plurality of circumferentially-spaced elongated torque transmission members 250 are supported by rotor body 212 and are operably coupled to central inner portion 251 of rotor body 212 according to one embodiment. may be As previously described in connection with torque transmission member 250, torque transmission member 250 transmits torque from a centrifuge mandrel (not shown) of centrifuge 13 to tubular cavity 224 during centrifugation. act to Each torque transmitting member 250 extends radially between an outer first end 252 and an inner second end 254 oriented toward the axis A of rotation. In the illustrated embodiment, the first end 252 of each torque transmitting member 250 extends toward the respective pocket 240 between adjacent pairs of respective tubular cavities 224 in the tangential direction of the pair. there is

As shown, rotor 210 may include six torque transmission members 250 , one member 250 extending between each adjacent pair of tubular cavities 224 . As previously mentioned, rotor 210 may be formed with any suitable number of tubular cavities 224 . Accordingly, rotor 210 may be formed with any suitable number of torque transmission members 250 to maintain any desired ratio of torque transmission members 250 to tubular cavity 224 .

Rotor 210 may further comprise a torque transmission annulus 260 supported by rotor body 212, which may be operably coupled to central inner portion 251 of rotor body 212 according to one embodiment. As shown, torque transfer ring 260 extends from the bottom surface of top wall 222 into interior 230 and into hollow compartment 242 . As shown, the torque transfer ring 260 is configured such that the second end 254 of each torque transfer member 250 extends radially toward the torque transfer ring 260 and is operatively coupled to the torque transfer ring 260 . It is positioned about the axis of rotation A so as to In one embodiment, torque transmission member 250 and torque transmission annulus 260 are integrally formed as one piece with rotor body 212 including top wall 222, center inner portion 251, and sidewall 238 of tubular cavity 224. may be formed. In alternate embodiments, either or both of torque transmission member 250 and torque transmission ring 260 may be releasably coupled to rotor body 212 .

As shown in FIG. 13, torque transmission member 250 may be integrally formed as a unitary piece with torque transmission ring 260 . In alternate embodiments, torque transmission member 250 may be releasably coupled to torque transmission ring 260 . In other alternative embodiments, rotor 210 may be formed without torque transmission ring 260, with torque transmission members 250 extending radially (independently) toward axis A of rotation. In still other embodiments, the torque transmitting member 250, when provided, has one or more intermediate structures (not shown) radially positioned between the torque transmitting member 250 and the torque transmitting annulus 260. may be coupled to Alternatively, if torque transmission annulus 260 is not provided, torque transmission members 250 are radially positioned between torque transmission members 250 and axis of rotation A, either individually or in sets of two or more. It may be attached to one or more intermediate structures (not shown).

As best shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, each of the torque transmitting members 250 may be symmetrically formed along their radial length. Additionally, each torque transmission member 250 may be formed with a shape and dimensions common to each of the other torque transmission members 250 . Each pair of adjacent torque transmitting members 250 also define, for example, arcuate sidewalls 262 extending therebetween along a substantially parabolic path. As shown, each arcuate sidewall 262 may be formed with an arcuate length and curvature common to each of the other arcuate sidewalls 262 .

Torque transmitting members 250 extend from the bottom surface of upper wall 222 to interior 230 and into hollow compartment 242 such that each arcuate side wall 262 defines the axial thickness of its respective torque transmitting member 250. and generally axially extending. As best shown in FIG. 13, each of the torque transmitting members 250 has a substantially radial length between its second end 254 and first end 252 along the radial length of the torque transmitting member 250. It may be formed with an axial thickness that is relatively constant. Also, each torque transmitting member 250 may be substantially planar along its radial length.

Torque transmitting member 250 and torque transmitting ring 260 may be formed from any suitable material or combination of materials. For example, torque transmission member 250 and/or torque transmission ring 260 may be formed from a carbon fiber composite with optimized fiber orientation. In alternate embodiments, torque transmission member 250 and/or torque transmission ring 260 may be formed from metal.

11 and 12, the pressure plate 216 of the rotor 210 of the centrifuge has a central generally conical upright wall portion 270 with a rounded upper portion 270a and an axially extending wall portion 270 from the rounded upper portion 270a. an annular top wall portion 272 projecting outwards; an annular bottom wall portion 274 extending generally radially outwardly from the conical wall portion 270; and a connecting annular support ring 275 .

As shown in FIG. 15, the pressure plate 216 has a conical wall portion 270 received within the interior 230 of the rotor body 212 and engages a radially inward facing side of each of the outer surfaces 238b of the tubular cavity 224. may be operably coupled to lower end 212b of rotor body 212 so as to mate. Pressure plate 216 may be seated on rotor body 212 such that top wall 272 faces torque transfer ring 260 supported by top wall 222 . Bonding pressure plate 216 to rotor body 212 completely defines hollow compartment 242 , including pocket 240 . Specifically, hollow compartment 242 is defined by peripheral sidewall 220, top wall 222, and outer surface 238b of rotor body 212 and conical wall 270, top wall 272, and bottom wall 274 of pressure plate 216. Bounded. Thus, in the illustrated embodiment of rotor 210, a substantial portion of each outer surface 238b of tubular cavity 224 is surrounded by a hollow space including hollow compartments 242 and respective pairs of adjacent pockets 240. be.

As best shown in FIG. 12, the annular bottom wall 274 of the pressure plate 216 includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses 276 . Conical wall portion 270 includes a plurality of corresponding circumferentially spaced undulations 277 extending downwardly through annular support ring 275 toward bottom wall portion 274 and opening into recesses 276 . . Specifically, pressure plate 216 preferably includes one depression 276 and one undulation 277 for each tubular cavity 224 (i.e., six for the embodiment shown in FIGS. 10-16). depressions 276 and six corrugations 277).

As shown in FIG. 15, recesses 276 in pressure plate 216 are engaged in abutting engagement to receive a plurality of bottom walls 239 of tubular cavity 224 when pressure plate 216 is coupled to rotor body 212 . configured to fit. As best shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, each bottom wall 239 may include a shoulder 239a having a substantially U-shape defined by the curvature of the outer surface 238b of the tubular cavity sidewall 238. . In this regard, the outer surface 238b of each tubular cavity 224 may form a substantially right angle (ie, approximately 90 degrees) with the peripheral sidewall 220 of the rotor body 212. As shown in FIG. Each bottom wall 239 may further include a central boss portion 239b that is substantially circular and extends outwardly from shoulder 239a such that shoulder 239a extends around boss portion 239b. can extend. Dimples 276 are suitably sized and shaped such that each dimple 276 contacts substantially a portion of respective bottom wall 239 of respective tubular cavity 224, including shoulder 239a and central boss 239b. It is said that In this regard, each recess 276 may be substantially U-shaped and may include circular recesses to substantially correspond to the shape of bottom wall 239 .

Similarly, undulations 277 are configured to receive and engage outer surface 238b of tubular cavity 224 in abutting engagement. Specifically, corrugations 277 are appropriately sized and shaped such that each corrugation 277 substantially conforms to the curvature of the lower portion of the respective outer surface 238b.

Pressure plate 216 may be mated with rotor body 212 such that each indentation 276 and corresponding corrugation 277 engages with a respective tubular cavity 224 . In this manner, depressions 276 provide structural support to tubular cavity 224 and thereby stiffness during high speed rotation of rotor 210 , while undulations 277 provide pressure plate 216 pressure against rotor body 212 . help maintain circumferential alignment of the In alternative embodiments, the pressure plate 216 may include a number of depressions less than the number of tubular cavities 224, in which case each depression receives and engages two or more tubular cavities 224. be sized and shaped to be suitable for

Pressure plate 216 may further comprise a plurality of circumferentially-spaced raised areas 279 disposed on annular bottom wall 274 . As best shown in FIG. 12, a raised area 279 can be provided between each pair of adjacent depressions 276 and extends upwardly from the outer edge of the depressions 276 to provide connection with the support ring 275. To form, it may extend radially toward the support ring 275 . Each raised area 279 may comprise a central recess 281, which may be substantially trapezoidal in shape and may comprise a narrowed middle region having a bottleneck-like shape. Each raised area 279 is received in a pocket 240 formed between a respective pair of adjacent tubular cavities 224 when pressure plate 216 is coupled with rotor body 212, as shown in FIG. be properly sized and shaped to accommodate In this regard, the raised areas 279 engage corresponding structures defined by a shoulder 239a and a central boss 239b of the bottom wall 239 of each tubular cavity 224. As shown in FIG. Thus, the raised area 279 properly aligns the pressure plate 216 with the rotor body 212 during assembly and provides additional structural support to the rotor body 212, including the tubular cavity 224, during high speed rotation of the rotor 210. provide support for Further, the combination of annular support ring 275, raised area 279, and central recess 281 in pressure plate 216 advantageously provides pressure plate 216 with great structural rigidity, while at the same time minimizing weight. .

Coupling the pressure plate 216 to the rotor body 212 may be accomplished with the aid of mechanical coupling components substantially similar to those previously described in connection with the rotor 10 of the centrifuge. Also, the bond between the pressure plate 216 and the rotor body 212 can be further enhanced by the application of elongated reinforcements 226, which are substantially similar to those described above in connection with the elongated reinforcements 26 of the rotor 10. can be applied to rotor body 212 and pressure plate 216 in the manner of.

Rotor body 212 further includes rotor insert 296 disposed within internal pocket 300 of central inner portion 251, as best shown in FIGS. Rotor insert 296 operates in a manner similar to rotor insert 96 described above, including being configured to receive and threadably engage a rotor hub (not shown).

Rotor insert 296 is positioned about axis of rotation A so that it extends through opening 302 formed in top wall 222 , central inner portion 251 , and torque transmission annulus 260 . Rotor insert 296 includes a plurality of alternating radially extending long arms 304a and short arms 304b received within a corresponding plurality of alternating radially extending long passages 306a and short passages 306b of internal pocket 300. . In one embodiment, rotor 210 may be formed such that the number of arms 304a, 304b and respective passageways 306a, 306b equals the number of tubular cavities 224. FIG. More specifically, the number of long arms 304a may be equal to one-half the number of tubular cavities 224. FIG. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the rotor 210 receives six tubular cavities 224, a rotor insert 296 having three long arms 304a and three short arms 304b, and respective arms 304a, 304b. an internal pocket 300 having three long passages 306a and three short passages 306b for Those skilled in the art will appreciate that alternate embodiments of rotor 210 can be formed with any desired ratio of tubular cavity 224 to rotor insert arms 304a, 304b and corresponding pocket passageways 306a, 306b. . Also, in alternate embodiments, the rotor insert arms and corresponding pocket passages may be formed in any suitable shape and size.

Rotor insert 296 can be formed from any suitable material, such as metal. Also, the radially extending arms 304a, 304b may each include respective apertures 298a, 298b extending axially therethrough, eg, for weight reduction purposes. Rotor insert 296 may also be molded into rotor body 212 during body formation, as disclosed by US Pat. During the molding process, liquid adhesive can flow into each of the apertures 298a, 298b extending through the rotor insert 296 to substantially fill the aperture. The adhesive may then cure to form rigid posts 299a and 299b extending through respective apertures 298a, 298b. Posts 299 a , 299 b can act to securely retain rotor insert 296 within center inner portion 251 and to provide additional structural rigidity to rotor body 212 .

Rotor body 212 and pressure plate 216 may be formed using the compression molding method described above in connection with centrifuge rotor 10 and US patents incorporated herein. Also, the assembled centrifuge rotor 210 can be centrifuged in centrifuge 13 in a manner similar to that described above in connection with centrifuge rotor 10 and with similar coupling components. It may be attached to a center rod (not shown). In other embodiments, rotor 210 may be fitted with any suitable coupling component for coupling rotor insert 296 with any suitable centrifuge mandrel.

After mounting the rotor 210 on the centrifuge mandrel, the centrifuge mandrel can be actuated to drive the rotor 210 into high speed centrifugal rotation. During rotation of rotor 210 , the components of rotor 210 can act in a manner similar to that described above in connection with rotor 10 . Specifically, torque is transferred from the rotating rotor axle to the rotor insert 296 which exerts torque on the center inner portion 251 and additionally on the torque transfer annulus 260 . Torque transmission ring 260 transmits torque radially outward through torque transmission member 250 . More specifically, the torque transmitting member 250 transmits torque radially outward to the central inner portion 251 as well as to the tubular cavity 224 and the sample vessels held within the tubular cavity 224 . Thus, torque applied to tubular cavity 224 is transmitted not only through central inner portion 251 , but also through torque transmission annulus 260 and torque transmission member 250 . Thus, torque transfer ring 260 and torque transfer member 250 advantageously provide rotor 210 with additional structural rigidity to withstand the large degree of torque experienced during high speed rotation. Also, the annular support annulus 275, circumferentially-spaced recesses 276, and raised areas 279 can provide additional structural rigidity to the tubular cavity 224 during high speed rotation, thus increasing the overall can be provided to the rotor body 212 as

While the present invention has been described by the description of specific embodiments thereof, and the embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not intended to limit or otherwise limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail: not intended. The various features detailed in this specification may be used singly or in any combination. Additional advantages and improvements will readily appear to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and method, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made in such details without departing from the scope or spirit of the general inventive concept.

10 Centrifuge rotor
12 Rotor body
12a upper end
12b lower end
13 Centrifuge
14 Rotor lid
16 pressure plate
18 Handle
20 Perimeter sidewall
22 Upper wall
23 identification elements
24 Tubular chamber hole cavity
26 elongated reinforcement
26a upper reinforcement
27 liquid confinement groove
28 External surface
30 inside
34 open end
36 closed end
38 side wall
38a inside
38b Outer surface
39 bottom wall
40 pockets
42 hollow compartment
50 Torque transmission member
51 central medial part
52 first end
54 second end
60 torque transmission ring
62 first side wall
64 Second side wall
66 Step
70 conical upright wall
70a upper part
72 Upper wall
74 bottom wall
76 Hollow
77 Wavy part
78 ribs
80 upright tabs
90 retaining nut
91 Tool engagement recess
92 male screw
94 rotor hub
96 Rotor insert
100 internal pockets
104a long arm
104b short arm
106a Long Passage
106b Short Passage
108 key slots
110 holes
112 Hub retainer
114 center pin
118 Lid screw retainer
120 lid screw
122 sealing element
124 sealing element
210 centrifuge rotor
212 Rotor body
212a upper end
212b lower end
216 pressure plate
220 Perimeter sidewall
222 Upper wall
222a upper region
222b lower region
222c connection
224 Tubular chamber hole void
226 Elongated Reinforcement
226a upper reinforcement
227 Liquid Confinement Groove
227a Re-entry
227b Back wall
227c apical region
227d lower edge
229 Groove Tools
229a upper tool part
229b lower tool part
230 inside
232 Annular Lip
234 open end
236 closed end
238 Sidewall
238a Inner surface
238b Outer surface
239 bottom wall
239a Shoulder
239b boss
240 pockets
242 Hollow Compartment
250 Torque transmission member
251 central medial part
252 first end
254 second end
260 torque transmission ring
262 Sidewall
270 conical upright wall
270a upper part
272 upper wall
274 bottom wall
275 support ring
276 Hollow
277 Wavy part
279 Raised Area
281 recess
296 Rotor Insert
298a, 298b Aperture
299a, 299b solid column
300 internal pockets
302 Aperture
304a long arm
304b short arm
306a Long Passage
306b Short Passage
A Rotation axis
R1 radial length
R2 radial length

Claims (1)

A fixed angle centrifuge rotor comprising:
A rotor body, said rotor body having a plurality of tubular cavities disposed within said rotor body and circumferentially spaced about an axis of rotation of said rotor, each of said tubular cavities being open. a rotor body having ends and closed ends, each of said tubular cavities configured to receive a sample vessel therein;
an annular containment groove disposed entirely above and circumferentially surrounding said plurality of tubular cavities, said annular containment groove having an upper re-entry, said groove is radially outwardly concave in a cross-sectional view including the axis of rotation of the rotor and extends from near the upper and outer ends of the plurality of tubular cavities toward the upper re-entries. curved from an arcuate rear wall, said annular containment groove, in combination with said upper re-entrant, configured to catch and retain suspended matter within said rotor during rotation of said rotor; a confinement groove of
a reinforcement layer surrounding at least a portion of the rotor body, wherein the annular containment groove is provided within the reinforcement layer;
Fixed angle centrifuge rotor with

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